Afternoon Player Notes in the Playoffs (May 26)

Tonight is the night that an Eastern Conference team punches their ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals, as it is Game 7 between the Lightning and the Penguins, centre stage at the Igloo in Pittsburgh.

There isn't a lot separating these two sides, as momentum swings have happened often in this series and it has been the best players leading the way for both sides.

No matter which way you cut it, these teams are going to dress (and play against) a young inexperienced netminder, so that will be at the forefront of their minds, no question.  Storm the opponent's net and clear in front of your net, limit the turnovers and don't stop shooting.

These two teams are quite similar in styles, so the hockey cliches will be fast and furious tonight, almost to the point of a bingo game.  The team that dobs out all of their cliches by the end of the night, will move on to the Cup Finals.  Keep your legs moving, get pucks in deep, work hard along the boards and get significant net presence... keys for both sides.

Is there anything I'm missing?

Andrei Vasilevskiy versus Matt Murray tonight... one non-pool goalie will be going home, while the other one will continue to mock the pool for at least four more games.

Stuart is pushing for a Tampa Bay win tonight, which would leave him with six players in the Finals, while Kristy will have six players either way, but a Pittsburgh win would be more advantageous for her side. Scott doesn't have any Tampa players left, so Pittsburgh would be huge for him.  It seems doubtful that any result is going to change these top three teams, but it's all I have left to point out these days.